Wednesday, July 24, 2013

GardenVibe's Smoky Summer Soup

Recently, I went to Farmer's Market and purchased marvelous fresh vegetables. I decided to throw together a fun & smoky flavored soup. For me, any time of year is good for Soup (and Salad) as it can be made so naturally and is healthy for you. This Summer soup is eyes- buggin'- outta- your- head good! Never mind the Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Iron you are getting..... :) And this is a very Guy-friendly soup... Smoke, Pepper, Bacon and hearty ... what more could a guy ask for?

To make the Croutons I combined the Cumin, Olive Oil and Basil in a bowl. Tossed the Bread Cubes to coat. I spread them on a baking sheet lined w/ aluminum foil and baked at 350' for about 10 min. or until they become golden brown.

In a Large Saucepan I combined the Olive Oil, Onion, Celery, and Bacon. ( I use 2 strips of Bacon, you can use additional if you desire) I sautéed until the Vegetables became translucent and the bacon is cooked through without becoming crisp.

Concurrently, I placed the Potatoes, Cauliflower and Corn in a large Steamer Pot to steam until tender. ( I removed the Cauliflower and Corn from the pot earlier than the Potatoes, as it takes the Potatoes longer to steam to tenderness. )

Combine the Potato with the Bacon / Vegetable mixture in a food processor. Add 1 can of Chicken Broth.

Food Process/ Pulse until the Potato is in small pieces. Place Potato mixture in a large pot. Remove the steamed Corn from the cob and add to the pot. Add the steamed Cauliflower to the pot. You can now add the second can of Chicken Broth to desired consistency. Add Basil and Red Pepper flakes. Heat through on Stovetop.

I like the soup to be hearty with the vegetables, so the consistency of my soup is as pictured below.